October is Cancer Awareness month and we should begin to educate ourselves about some of the potential causes. It is so much easier to prevent than to cure.

35 years ago, I became acutely aware of the chemicals in cosmetics, and their link to various forms of cancer. My mother-in-law died of breast cancer and many of my early salon clientele were cancer survivors. During that time, I discovered that what I thought were ‘natural’ products actually contained carcinogenic ingredients. It was from “One Promise made to One Woman” dying of cancer that my mission to prevent the use of toxic ingredients began (you can read my full story in The Soul of Success, by Jennifer Hawthorn, author of Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul).

About two years ago, Jeanne Rizzo, executive director of the Breast Cancer Fund, said, “People are putting chemicals on and into our bodies every day, through use of shampoo, deodorant, face cream, hairspray and all of the other bottles, jars and cans that fill our bathrooms. Chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects do not belong in these products…period.”

“When it comes to cosmetics, we shouldn’t be forced to choose between health and beauty. Personal care products should be free of chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects,” states USA Today.

Chronic diseases such as cancer, MS, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome seemed to have escalated far more rapidly than the rate of population growth. More and more evidence indicates that the reasons MAY be the chemicals found in personal care products --- ingredients that are banned in Europe and Japan, yet allowed in the U.S.

What are these chemicals?

The ingredient labels on many of the products we use sound like a chemical lab rather than items from your bathroom. Because of years of sustained use, some of the synthetic ingredients turn the most common lotions, shampoos, conditioners, facial crèmes or blush into a chemical cocktail include:

Fragrance, PEG (usually followed by a number or even a natural sounding ingredient), FD&C colors (these are coal tar derived), benzene, DEA, TEA, MEA, parabens (xeno-estrogens), sunscreens such as benzopnenones (avobenzone, dixoybenzone, oxybenzone), PABA, padimate-o, methoxycinnamate, and many more. Also preservatives that contain free formaldehyde are being described as very toxic and potentially carcinogenic including: imidazolidinyl urea, diadiazolidinyl urea, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, DMDM (Dimethylol Dimethol) Hydantoin)

Medical research, including research from Brunnell University (England), Tufts University, Boston Research Center, and Centers of Disease Control (U.S.) have found these chemicals absorb through the skin and often remain in fat tissue for indefinite periods of time. Perhaps the most dramatic recent example was the revelation that Parabens – chemicals used as preservatives in most personal care products – were found in breast tumors. Yet the cosmetic industry declares that these toxic chemicals are only in products in just trace amounts. Sort of like, one cigarette won’t cause lung cancer!!!

Surely the Government protects us!

Unfortunately, the cosmetic industry is not regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) which does NOT have the authority to approve ingredients or restrict the use of chemicals that are known to have detrimental side effects. After lobbying for 5 years in Congress, I am pleased that California has passed Senate Bill 484, The California Safe Cosmetic Act, which will ban ingredients suspected of being carcinogenic (find a link to the Act at www.chaeorganics.biz/news&links) Other States will soon follow.

How do these chemicals get into our body?

Your skin is the largest organ of the body, and what we put on it is directly absorbed into the body . . . with every use! Skin Absorption is the number one form of chemical absorption and contamination. The skin is NOT an impenetrable shield. It absorbs more than most of us realize. Since the skin is also the largest elimination organ, it cannot keep up with the body’s attempt to rid itself of these harmful toxins when constantly assaulted by them. The consequences of this bombardment become evident with increased skin irritation, itching, inflammation and the appearance of acne, rosacea, brown spots, saggy skin, wrinkles and fine lines to name a few.

Well, I use ‘natural’ products from the health food store!

We are led to believe that products which claim to be ‘natural’ or are found in the health food stores are safe. The reality is that many such products are chemically based, with an array of natural ingredients added to make the product label look good. Others seem pretty good, but still contain chemical preservatives that can do harm.

So what can you do?

Avoiding the use of these suspected ingredients is believed to help prevent cancer and the re-occurrence of cancer. This has not been easy as most labs and ingredient suppliers either extract or preserve their ingredients with items from the above list. Check out websites such as: www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep2 to find out about product brands you may be using, and the explanation about specific chemicals.

Learn to read labels. Always look for the “Certified ToxicFree® Product Seal”. These products are free of all known toxins, carcinogens and hormone disrupting ingredients. Such pure products help the skin and body detoxify; thus the process of repair and regeneration occurs more rapidly returning the homeostasis to a healthy state. And, natural, organic ToxicFree products out-perform those made of chemicals, while at the same time, putting the ‘health’ back into health and beauty.

©2006